What's The Point Of It All?

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  • What's The Point Of It All?

    I've come close many times in getting my screenplay sold. I've never signed with an any agent or manager. I've been hipped pocketed to death.

    I had a major A-list rep my script but the deal didn't pan out. I have nothing. I have a lousy job and my health is declining.

    So the writing career has come close but nothing has happened.

    I'm realistic. Statistically, the odds of getting a screenplay repped and sold are not in favor of the writer. I'm 50. I've been trying since I was in my late twenties. I've learned the craft, but nothing.

    I thank God I have a loving wife who makes life worth living and for that I'm forever grateful. She's what keeps me going. She even encourages my writing.

    But I am tired. I had great responses and bad responses to my scripts. I'm finishing up what I believe will be my final screenplay.

    But I look back at my hopes, my dreams of seeing the words "Written by.." with my name at the end on the screen.

    It was a wonderful, ignorant time. Getting calls from studio producers then the reality of when you don't hear from them again. Having a-list agents and managers claim what a great writer you are, then they disappear to pursue other projects on their plate for fear of losing traction at the studios and have no time for you.

    I congratulate those of you who have sold, gotten officially signed and had your scripts optioned. You know you hard work paid off. You did something great. You have an achievement you could look back on.

    Remember those days because they're the icing on the proverbial cake.

    Rich
    sigpicWriting is re-writing

  • #2
    Re: What's The Point Of It All?

    Thanks for sharing that.

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    • #3
      Re: What's The Point Of It All?

      Wht type of genres do you write? Just curious.
      One must be fearless and tenacious when pursuing their dreams. If you don't, regret will be your reward.

      The Fiction Story Room

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      • #4
        Re: What's The Point Of It All?

        I'm mostly sci-fi/action/horror genres. studio budget with one ultra budget drama. I've always tried to write what I like as I think a writer's strength comes from what they enjoy, not only what's currently on the market want-list.
        sigpicWriting is re-writing

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        • #5
          Re: What's The Point Of It All?

          I feel you Rich. I had cancer. Tragic loss too hard to mention. And been a writer too through all of it, trying to make it. Got some big reps a few times. Actually made some money. No spec sales... Have a loving wife with a good job and a kid that I get to be a stay at home dad too.

          So I tell myself, I'm still here to bitch. And that with my family, I have it all. I'm the lucky one.

          Point of it all is that we enjoy doing it and hope one day we get to join the pro writers who make money. Or we find a way to become writers in another medium. I don't know what else I would be when all I want to be is this.

          But believe me, writing is a huge part of me. But it's not the important part of life by any means. There are plenty of successful writers out there that I would never trade my life for theirs for. I don't want to be successful if it means not enjoying my REAL life.

          I keep working at the writing. But I'm successful at the part that matters. You sound like you are too Rich. Congrats on being a lucky one too.

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          • #6
            Re: What's The Point Of It All?

            Just read your post to my wife. She was moved and so was I. Thanks for opening up.

            I'm at the last act of my epic (which I had no interest completing) and thanks to your words I'm going to finish it.

            Sincerely,
            Rich
            sigpicWriting is re-writing

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            • #7
              Re: What's The Point Of It All?

              Bono is absolutely right, Rich.

              All I have from 12 years of screenwriting is 9 feature scripts I loved writing and which I'm very proud of - no one else in the world could have written them - and a bunch of exciting memories of near misses, encounters with 'major players' and all the other surreal experiences of a long-time wannabe screenwriter. What a world to be in!

              More importantly, I have a wonderful wife and daughter, who relegate anything else in my life into insignificance.

              Oh, and I did get a novel published recently, but that was at the ripe old age of 56, so a youngster like you still has a way to go
              TimeStorm & Blurred Vision Book info & blog: https://stormingtime.com//

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              • #8
                Re: What's The Point Of It All?

                GITS just did a series of interviews with Nicholl winner Sallie West, which I found very inspiring: http://gointothestory.blcklst.com/20...ll-winner.html

                In her late 50s, driven to write a story from the heart, spent much time and research on it -- and she won the Nicholl.

                To me, the most important thing is reaching an audience. If you need to tell a story and you're not getting through in Hollywood, you can publish a novel or produce a play. Just keep the creative stream going and don't suppress your spirit.
                Last edited by castilleja32; 04-02-2015, 06:36 AM.

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                • #9
                  Re: What's The Point Of It All?

                  Here's my take--

                  "What's the point of it all". The point is to enjoy yourself and make money. If neither of those things is happening then find something else to do with your time.

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                  • #10
                    Re: What's The Point Of It All?

                    I'd say far more important than making money is enjoying the writing and enjoying the journey.

                    Look -- when it comes down to it, your marriage/wife, your family and your friends, are going to make you happier at a much deeper and lasting level than anything that could ever come from screenwriting, because anything that could come from screenwriting -- a big paycheck, your name on the screen after "written by" -- is going to be little more than an ego high. Just like a drug high, ego highs have a time limit and an inevitable "coming down" period. The money will be spent. And then you're right back where you were.

                    Focus on your family and enjoying the writing and on writing what you love and would like to see on the screen.

                    Once you learn to enjoy the journey it stops mattering where the journey takes you.

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                    • #11
                      Re: What's The Point Of It All?

                      http://www.newyorker.com/magazine/20...urrentPage=all

                      "At Yale, Robert Penn Warren taught an oversubscribed fiction-writing seminar. As a junior, [David] Milch followed him around for days before slipping under his office door a chapter of his novel in progress, a narrative of four days in the life of a family in Buffalo whose teen-age son has died in a car accident. The previous year, after his best friend was killed in a car accident, Milch had gone home for the funeral but should have stayed away; he spent the entire time uselessly drunk. The novel was, among other things, a gesture of expiation. Warren's seminar sessions consisted mainly of him reading aloud. Milch always sat in a corner, in thrall and saying almost nothing. Then, one evening, in what he remembers as "a pure act of stupidity, selfishness, and juvenile behavior,- he brought a finished chapter to Warren at home, interrupting his dinner, and asked him to read it on the spot.

                      "He looked at me and said, 'Well, you act like a writer'-meaning, no manners,- Milch recalled. "And he read it, and it was good and he was very good about it. Then I said, 'You know, I don't know if I want to write anymore.' To make him really come out and say-who knows, whatever-because he'd already told me, 'No one writes dialogue better than you.' Now, I've interrupted his dinner, he's been very gracious, and I say that, and he looks me in the eye and says, 'Understand, David. I don't give a **** who writes and who doesn't.' In other words: If you, David, are soliciting from me 'Oh, you must,' I ain't gonna say that, because that's up to you."

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                      • #12
                        Re: What's The Point Of It All?

                        Originally posted by Geoff Alexander View Post
                        Here's my take--

                        "What's the point of it all". The point is to enjoy yourself and make money. If neither of those things is happening then find something else to do with your time.
                        Geoff:

                        I'm not sure how to respond to that. It sounds like "write or don't."

                        Rich
                        sigpicWriting is re-writing

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          Re: What's The Point Of It All?

                          The supply of screenwriters far exceeds the demand for screenwriters. And, as it is in most market economics, the price for screenwriters has adjusted downward accordingly. We spend an inordinate amount of time writing scripts, of which the top 1% will be blessed with a $1 option.

                          1 out of 100 screenplays are worth $1. And that's being generous.

                          That's years worth of man-hours to produce $1 worth of product.

                          Even the lottery - which statistically pays out pennies on the dollar - seems like a wiser investment of resources.

                          Most markets would have corrected by now. The low return-on-investment should have driven down the supply of aspiring screenwriters. But, if anything, it's rising. HBO can snare 1000 pilot scripts in minutes. Competition is as fierce as ever.

                          There are only two factors that can possibly justify the discrepancy between the supply of screenwriters and the demand. Two factors that fill the price gap - Vanity and Joy.

                          Every writer needs to honestly ask which factor is predominantly steering them. There's nothing inherently wrong with chasing Hollywood due to vanity. But it comes with a trade-off. The time invested on a vain pursuit would have a better intangible return if it were invested on family, friends, and self. No one should sacrifice their personal happiness out of vanity.

                          Then there's joy, which means different things to different people. Yes, that joy is tied to self-worth and a belief in a payday, but it extends beyond it too.

                          I feel it's always important to step back and ask myself two questions:
                          "Am I pursuing this out of vanity or joy?"
                          "What is the pursuit costing me?"

                          If I can live with my answers, I'll keep pressing on. If the day comes where my answers don't feel like enough justification, I'll stop.

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                          • #14
                            Re: What's The Point Of It All?

                            Originally posted by pickerman123 View Post
                            Geoff:

                            I'm not sure how to respond to that. It sounds like "write or don't."

                            Rich
                            Not entirely, I'm saying that people often start things for the right reasons and stick with them for the wrong ones. People start writing because they enjoy it, they enjoy it so much they want to get paid to do it and then if they are talented, disciplined and lucky, they manage to do that. There are a lot of folks out there who don't get there but stick with it even as the creative pleasure is sucked out of it and they suffer over it.

                            Those people need to ask themselves, am I having fun? Am I making money? Or am I expending energy feeling unhappy about the writing thing because it has been X years, when in fact it's a choice and I could be expending that energy and time on things that...make me happy or make me money.

                            Because, it's always something, man, you hit those markers along the way and then there's always that next marker--got the contest win, the manager, the agent, the meetings, the paid option, but then it't the spec sale, and then that's not enough, then it's where are the assignments? And then it's yeah but I haven't had a movie and then holy crap, you get a movie produced, but guess what, maybe it's not as good as you hoped it would be, or it underperformed financially, so you really need another movie, one that achieves those things--etc., etc., etc..

                            It's really, really tough to be both creative and balanced in terms of how you handle highs and lows, but you have to be able to manage things on the inside and that means being able to be honest with yourself about what makes you happy.

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                            • #15
                              Re: What's The Point Of It All?

                              Thia may sound simplistic, but if you're not under the WGA, consider writing for an independent film. There's plenty of good producers looking for good writers. And getting something up on the screen may just be the bridge you need to span the river and come out rejuvenated enough to keep on the journey.

                              Of course, if you're repped, you should discuss it with your agent/manager. But if they're interested in you as a person, they should also be able to see the long-term benefit from writing off the short-term profit drive.

                              Apologies if I'm completely reading you wrong.

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